So yesterday, they announced the BlogHer Voices of the Year. For those of you who don’t follow this stuff, BlogHer is the women’s blogging network. They have a gazillion followers, an ad program, a huge yearly conference — you get the picture. Anyway, every year, bloggers submit their writing to VOTY and cross their fingers that someone else besides they, their five best Facebook friends, and their moms think it’s really, really good.
I submitted a few posts this year. Admittedly, it was kind of a long shot. I’m a teeny weeny blogger in a giant pond, and as much as I love what I write, other people aren’t exactly busting down my door. So yesterday, I got the dreaded email: “Thank you for your submission. . . We had about 1,000 entries. . . Unfortunately. . . ” You know the rest.
I was bummed. I tried not to be bummed. I did the whole, “This is just the opinion of a handful of people,” and “Think of how many times J.K. Rowling was turned down,” and “You do this for yourself anyway, right?” But what can I say. It wasn’t the news I wanted.
But then I actually did something that completely surprised me. I mean really, really surprised me. I went to the bookstore and bought a couple of pro-blogger books.
Why was this wacko? Because I usually take a least a short mourning period. My usual reaction isn’t, “Okay, then take this!” And I’ve gotta say, it felt fabulous. It felt liberating. It felt. . . grown up.
Later that evening, I was sitting at the kitchen table, yapping with the husband while the kids ran circles around us. We were formulating plans about how we were going to start kicking ass and taking names. How we needed to make something happen. How it was time for this bizarre, karmic mourning period we’ve been under to be over. And then, I checked my email.
There was another message from BlogHer. “I am pleased to inform you. . .”
Of course, by that time, it didn’t matter at all, right? By that point, I’d become so enlightened and mature that I didn’t need some external reinforcement to make me feel worthy or better about myself. By then, I was above all that. . .
Yeeeeeeaaaah. . .
Maybe someday I’ll be so cool that I won’t get a charge out of hearing people say they like my stuff. But for now, it’s like eating an ice cream sundae laced with crack and relaxing on a chaise lounge in front of the ocean with the knowledge that someone else is picking up my kids (and incidentally, I’ve never done crack, but where would we all be without hyperbole).
So thank you BlogHer. Thank you for giving me that shove to go and “do it anyway.” And thank you for choosing me as one of your Voices of the Year. I’d say I’m thrilled beyond words but who are we kidding. We all know I never shut up.
And, lord help us, now I have one more reason to keep talking.
*Click here to read my BlogHer VOTY post, Do What I Say, Not What I Do: Advice for Newbie Bloggers. And be sure to check out all the other great VOTY at BlogHer.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well deserved my friend. A fantastic post that deserved that recognition. So happy and proud of you!
Congratulations…that is awesome! I agree with your description of what it is like 'to hear people like your stuff"…
My recent post My Moment: This Moment ~Friday Ritual
As a new blogger I love reading things like this. I have much to learn, but I'm enjoying every moment. Please never "shut up".
Hooray for you! (read that in a super jazzy excited way with not an ounce of sarcasm…really, truly…I think that is super exciting!) Congratulations!
I'm so happy for you. I know the sinking tummy feeling. Way to go!
Cool. Congratulations!
My recent post Sundays in My City – Double Exposure
You know I always thought you were something special, right?
Good.
SEE YOU SOON!!!!!
YAY!!!!! Big congrats!!!
My recent post about that….
Congratulations! Bravo! That's aa… my daughter! Ya?
Thank Alysia! That means so much coming from you!
Thanks Amy! I know — it would be nice not to care, but I do.
Thanks Kelly! I still have so much to learn, it's staggering. And trying to enjoy it, too.
Thanks Andrea! And thanks for clearing up the sarcasm thing. Because according to my kids, I just "don't get it" most of the time. I've created monsters.
Thank you! Sinking tummy, followed by flushed face and moist eyes. I wish people couldn't read my insides by looking at my outsides.
Thank you! And thanks for all your support, here and at World's Worst Moms.
It's true, you've always thought I was special. Which has meant the world to me. Especially since you know I've always thought the same about you.:)
Thanks girl!! And thanks for hangin' in there with me!
Thanks Dad! Love you!
That's the most awesome thing done by a blogger. Hands down to you and congratulations on being one of BlogHer's Voice of the Year.
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